


Spontaneous Reaction

by Piper_Emerald



Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Based on a True Story, Evan is smol, Fluff and Humor, Homophobia, M/M, Zoe Murphy (mentioned) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-11-10 01:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11117226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piper_Emerald/pseuds/Piper_Emerald
Summary: Because sometimes the only thing to do when you're walking past a sidewalk of homophobic protesters is to kiss your sort of friend.





	Spontaneous Reaction

Evan didn’t exactly think that he and Connor Murphy were friends. They were sort of just stuck with each other. That’s what happens when you’re the two outcasts of high school. It took until the last year of what Connor would only refer to as “hell” for the two of them to even talk to each other. It was only after the third very awkward conversation that both of them realized the benefit of putting up with each other. It doesn’t matter how odd the you are, if there are two of you other people tend to leave you alone. So they decided that they’d use each other to blend into the background for there last few months of “hell.”

Now that they’re both graduated, Evan wasn’t completely sure why Connor still wanted him around. However, when Connor asked if he was doing anything on one of the first days of their summer Evan replied that he was free. That’s how they ended up wandering a not so busy street that Evan had never seen before in his life.

“Not that I’m complaining,” Evan started.

“What?” Connor glanced at him questioningly.

“Why are we here?” Evan blurted.

“You do not want to be anywhere near my house after school is over,” Connor said, seeing this as a full explanation. “My mom and sister get crazy.”

“Oh,” Evan wasn’t sure what to say to this.

“They call it summer depression,” Connor rolled his eyes.

“I can relate to that,” Evan admits.

“It’s not depression, Hansen,” Connor sounded a little annoyed. “They’re just bored and like to torment people.”

Evan got used to Connor complaining about his family a week into hanging out with him. Evan didn’t really mind, since it seemed to make Connor less irritated when he talked about it. Evan learned to nod along, and occasionally agree when it seemed like that was what Connor needed.

“But, um,” Evan tried again. “Why are we here?”

“Because I need to get out of the house and you don’t let me touch anything at yours,” Connor’s voice was flat.

“I mean, why couldn’t we just go to the usual places?” Evan is finally able to clarify.

“Evan,” Connor laughed. “We don’t have usual places.”

“But during school—”

“Only took you there because we were skipping and I didn’t want to get caught,” Connor cut him off.

“Oh.”

“Did you seriously think I just liked to hang out at the backend of the marketplace?” Connor looked bemused. 

“Maybe,” Evan mumbled.

“You’re so weird,” Connor didn’t say this like it was an insult. 

“Thanks,” Evan said under his breath. “So, we’re going?”

“Somewhere,” Connor shrugged.

“You don’t know,” Evan realized.

“Nope.” This prospect seemed to please Connor. “Well, what do you usually do?”

“During the summer?” Evan stammered. “Nothing really, last year I was an intern park ranger.”

“Because you like trees,” Connor nodded.

Evan didn’t realizes Connor remembered this. Sure, he had talked about it before, but he hadn’t thought that Connor actually listened to what Evan told him at school. The thought that Connor actually paid attention put a grin on his face.

“Yeah,” he confirmed.

“There’s a park near here,” Connor stated.

“Really?”

“We’ll go there,” he decided with a smile. “That can be our new usual place.”

“Okay,” Evan laughed.

“Come on,” Connor grabbed his arm. “You walk really fucking slow.”

“Sorry,” Evan tried to say, but was cut off by Connor pulling him.

He liked this. Maybe Connor considered him a friend after all. That idea made Evan happier than he thought it would. Truth be told, Evan really did like Connor. He just didn’t think that Connor would ever think of Evan as more than a person to hide through high school with. The thought of being more was amazing. 

For a second, everything was Evan’s idea of perfect. Then Connor abruptly stopped walking. 

“Fucking hell,” he muttered. 

“What?” 

Evan followed Connor’s gaze, his eye-line stopped on a large group of people populating the sidewalk. Most of them held signs and all of them wore unpleasant expressions. Evan knew that their community wasn’t always the most accepting, but he didn’t realize that groups actually stood on street corners with “anti gay marriage” signs. 

Evan didn’t want to walk past this. Sexuality or not, protesters always made him uncomfortable. Alone he would have probably ran the opposite direction. Were he with his mother or Jared, maybe he would have been able to ignore it. Being with Connor was different. A few months ago Connor had accidentally told Evan he was gay while he was ranting about something a homophobic relative has said to his sister. Evan hadn’t been able to tell Connor that he wasn’t straight either, because the thought of telling anyone that still kinda terrified him.

“They have to be right in the fucking way,” Connor muttered angrily.

“We could go somewhere else,” Evan suggested.

“No,” Connor shook his head, his expression settling for determination. “We’re going to the park.”

“Sorry,” Evan mumbled.

“It’s not your fault,” Connor told him. “Don’t apologize.”

“I know it’s not,” Evan stammered. “But you seem irritated—sorry.”

“Hansen.”

“Shutting up,” he said quickly.

“Not what I meant,” Connor sighed. “Look, just come on.”

Connor pulled him across the street and then started down the sidewalk lined with hateful stares. Evan realized that these people were looking at him. This was probably because Connor’s arm was still linked around Evan’s. It didn’t look like Connor was doing this because he didn’t think Evan was going to be able to walk quickly alone. Evan knew what it looked like, and why so many eyes were on them now. 

“We could not,” he whispered, tugging Connor’s arm.

He watched Connor look from Evan’s arm to the people around him. He expected Connor to let go, to make it clear that there was nothing at all romantic going on here. That wasn’t necessarily what Evan wanted, since, glares aside, Connor’s arm felt like his lifeline right now.    

“It’s fine,” Connor didn’t let go.

They kept walking, a little faster now. Evan felt like this sidewalk was never going to end. 

“Connor?” he whispered again.

“What?” Connor’s voice was tight.

“They’re staring at us,” he stated.

“I’m going to flip them off,” Connor hissed. 

“Please don’t!” Evan exclaimed a little too loudly.

“Thought you’d say that,” Connor chuckled.

“I really don’t want to have to pull you away from punching a middle aged guy,” Evan was only partly joking.

“Dude, that would be so funny though,” Connor smirked.

“Connor,” Evan groaned.

“I know, I know,” Connor rolled his eyes.

Evan was trying to only look at the ground in front of his feet. He could feel Connor’s arm clench.

“I don’t mean this to be offensive,” Evan started in a small voice. “Because I’m like kinda freaking out so I’m not really one to talk—”

“What is it?” Connor asked softly. 

“You seem really tense,” Evan said. “So we could just stop.”

“I’ll tell you when we’re at the park,” Connor sounded tired.

“Why you’re turning your knuckles white?” Evan tried to clarify.

“Yeah,” Connor nodded.

It seemed like everything was going to be fine. They were almost past the signs and Evan could still breath. He didn’t see who shouted it, his eyes were still on the ground, but he heard a very loud, and very obnoxious voice yell the word “fag.” Evan didn’t have to see the shouter to know that the insult was directed at them. 

He felt Connor hear it. Connor let go of Evan’s arm. Evan braced for the explosion.

“Fuck you!” 

Evan had never heard Connor’s voice this full of anger, and he’d been with Connor after he was called a freak by their classmates. 

He watched Connor turn on his heels, away from the countless people who now looked like they wanted to kill the both of them. The next few second seemed to pass in slow motion. Connor gave Evan an apologetic look that Evan was cut off from questioning by Connor’s hands grasping his shoulders. Then Connor’s lips were planted on his. 

Connor was kissing him. Evan was barely able to register the feel of Connor’s lips, they weren’t as rough as they seemed. Connor’s breath was warm too. When he pulled back, Evan realized he was grinning.

Then they were running. Well, Connor was running, and he was pulling Evan a long with him. They didn’t stop until they were blocks away and out of breath. 

“I’m sorry,” Connor panted. “That was out of line and really fucking impulsive. If you just want to go home—”

“That was kinda amazing,” Evan blurted

Connor stared at him.

“What?” Evan asked in a smaller voice. Was that the wrong thing to say?

“You’re fucking awesome,” Connor grinned again. 

“Connor,” Evan said slowly, a grin forming on his face as well. “You’re the one who kissed me, I didn’t do anything.”

“Yeah but you’re not freaking out,” Connor pointed out.

“I know,” Evan laughed. “I’m probably more surprised then you are.”

This entire situation should make him want to throw up, but he felt incredible. 

“Okay,” Connor hesitated. “Don’t freak out now.”

Evan gave him a questioning look.

“But I was really focused on running away,” Connor winced. 

“Yeah?”

“And kinda have no fucking clue where we are,” he admitted.

“What?” Evan gaped at him.

“Sorry,” Connor sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

Evan burst into laughter.

“Okay,” Connor eyed him. “Is this good laughing or bad laughing?”

“Good, I think,” Evan replied.

“Thank God,” Connor sighed.

“I need to sit down,” Evan admitted. He was starting to feel light headed. 

“Right,” Connor nodded. “Yeah.”

Connor lead him to a bench, and Evan all but collapsed. His mind kept replaying that moment in front of the homophobic protesters. 

“I’m gonna call my sister and see if she can pick us up, we can go to the park tomorrow or something,” Connor said. “Are you okay here?”

“Yeah,” Evan smiled at him.

“I’ll just be a second.”

He watched Connor walk a distance away, holding his phone to his ear. Evan focused on breathing. He tried not to think about Connor’s lips. Connor was just trying to shock those people, the kissing didn’t have anything to do with Evan. Still, he kept calling back the feel of Connor’s hands on his shoulders. 

“Are you sure her summer depression isn’t gonna make you angry?” Evan joked when Connor walked back to him.

“Funny,” Connor rolled his eyes. 

“I try,” Evan grinned.

“This is the most you’ve talked to me without stuttering,” Connor observed.

“I know,” Evan admitted. “I think it’s adrenaline.”

“I told Zoe,” Connor stated.

It took a second for Evan to realize what that meant. 

“I thought you guys didn’t talk,” he remembered. 

“We don’t but,” Connor paused. “Don’t tell her I told you this, but she’s had a bad experience with people like that.”

“What?”

“She was walking with her friend about a year ago,” Connor explained. “One of them said something, and then I think she told them to shut up. It escalated into shouting.”

“She didn’t get hurt, did she?” Evan asked worriedly.

“No,” Connor shook his head but his fist was clenched at the memory. “No, she’s fine. But that’s why people like that make me wanna punch something.”

“Or kiss someone,” Evan added.

“Yeah,” Connor turned to him with a tentative expression. “I should have given you warning.”

“Yeah, do that next time.”

“Next time?” Connor blinked at him.

“I mean,” Evan sputtered. “If there is, not that you’d want to—do you want to? Am I making it weird? I’m making it weird.”

“Hansen,” Connor said slowly. “Are you into me?”

“No,” Evan lied on instinct. “Well, yeah, sorry!”

“Fuck,” Connor sounded amazed.

“Sorry,” Evan heard how high his voice was.

“No,” Connor shook his head. “No, don’t apologize.”

“Sorry,” Evan wasn’t able to stop his mouth from talking.

“I said don’t,” Connor sighed.

“Right!” Evan shut up.

Connor started at him, then shook his head again.

“You realize I’ve been flirting with you for months, right?” he finally said. 

“You have?” Evan gaped at him.

“My fucking god,” Connor flopped onto the bench. 

“Sorry!” Evan blurted. “I mean, not sorry?”

Connor laughed.

“I’m really bad at this,” Evan muttered.

“I thought that you were straight,” Connor said absently. “Or that you just thought I was too fucked up.”

“I don’t think you’re fucked up,” Evan meant this. 

“This is fucking hilarious—”

Evan cut Connor off this time by planting a kiss on his cheek. He pulled back quickly. Connor looked stunned, his heart was racing.

“So, um,” he stammered. “Do you want to go out or something? Is that what people say after…”

“Spontaneously kissing someone?” Connor provided. 

“In front of homophobic protesters,” Evan added. 

“I think we’re a first for that,” Connor let him know with a grin.

They were interrupted by a car honking. Connor jumped off the bench and extended a hand to Evan.

“And that would be Zoe,” he explained.

“Right,” Evan nodded. 

“Come on,” Connor pulled him up but didn’t let go of his hand. 

Evan was pretty sure that he and Connor weren’t friends. That was okay. He liked this better. 

**Author's Note:**

> This may turn into a series of oneshots based on the funny ways myself and my friends have been able to turn around homophobic situations.
> 
> I apologize for the self advertisement, but if you liked this please check out my other Tree Bros fic! <3


End file.
